Engine



A. J. MEYER Nov. 28, 1933.

ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Jfifiq/fi Filed April 27, 1951 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 28, 1933 ENGINE Andre J. Meyer, Detroit, Mich, assignorlto Continental Motors Corporation, corporation of Yirgi'nia Detroit, ica, a

Application April 27,1931. Serial No. 533,691

acclaim. (01.12341) My invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly tothe engine struc ture and meansfor eificiently assembling various cooperating. engine elements together. In particular my invention is especially adapted for use with a sleevevalve engine in which the sleeve valve means are preferably assembled through the bottom of the engine cylinder.

One of the diilicult problems encountered in is to providea structure or minimum over-all length so as to provide an-engine which is not of such a length as tolprohiblt its practical tip-- plication in an industry where minimum weights and dimensions are quite essential. It has been found that in general, engines of thesleeve valve type are considerably longer an'dxmore bulky than engines of the puppet valve-type or the same power. This is due primarily to the necessity of viding sleeve valve means of a div-m excess of the cylinder bore 01 a poppet valve engine and also to the fact thatthe means connecting the sleeve valve means with the sleeve driving mechanismnecessitates the'provision oi sumcient clear- "qi' ance between cooperating engine elements in -or-- der'to obtain an engine that can be operated satisfactorily. 1 l

One of the objects of my present invention is to'construct an engineer the sleeve valve type of minimum dimensions thereby providing a compact engine structure comparable in weight and size with other types ot'engines. 1

Another object o! my presentinvention is to facilitate the-assembly of cooperating engine ele- 83 ments with minimumly, spaced cylinders.-

illustrate the various steps in assembling the co operating engine elements together,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion of the engine illustrated in Figure l and taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view are Damon? 50 oi the engine illustrating in detail the engineand sleeve construction permitting the axial assembly of said sleeve ;with the cylinder associated therewith,and

. Figures 4, 5 and 6 are'elevational views otthe' 55 lower end of a single sleeve valve constructed in v constructing an engine or the sleeve, valve type accordance with my invention'andFigure '7 is-a detail sectional" view taken substantially on the line 7--- of Figure 5. 1" Preferably. I have illustrated my invention as being, incorporatedin anengine of the sleeve g valve type the principleo'f my invention permittings the ready assembly of the sleeve valve means although obviously other engine elements such as pistonsmay be assembled with anengine in a manner astaught by this application. 65 1 i In general an engine of the type herein-illustratedcomprises acylinder block 10 provided with azplu'rality of cylinders. 11. Suitable cylej inderhead structures 12 are secured to the cylinder block and are preferably providedwith 7o portions 13 dependingwithin the cylinder" and spaced therefrom to provide sleeve pockets'respectivelywadapted to receive the upper end of the sleevevalve means '15; Pistons -16 .operate within the sleeve valve means and are I preferably connected with the crankshaft l'l-by means of the connecting rods 18. I 5

The crankshaft .17 is adapted to besupported in suitable bearings 19 and 20 '-carried by-.-the

engine structure and in. accordance with the acso cepted engineering practice I have provided such bearings at the ends of the crankcase and also intermediate the ends. Preferably the bearings 19 are locatedat" the end of the engine structure and .the bearings20 are locatedintermediate the and bearings and preferably-intermediate a pair of adjacent cylinders. v, s g I Thebearings'for supporting the crankshaft musti-be of. sufficient length tocarrythe loads and. under ordinary: conditions said bearingsv limit the distance permissible between, adjacent cylinders and the distance between the end cy1-- inder and endiof the engine block, sinceit is generally necessary ,to' assemble the sleeve valve means rrom the-bottom'ofthe cylinder due 1:0

the ractthat the lower or? inner end-of certain sleeve valve means are provided with an enlarged collar portion 21." '2

It will thus be noted that the sleeve valve same-is tojbe assembledaxially of the cylinder from below; I have discovered that by cutting means must clear the bearing structures it the 0' out a portion or the bearing structures that the I cylinders maybe placed considerably closer 'together and in a multi-cylinder engine such-as 5 herein illustrated the cylinders are-minimumly" spacedthereby producing a compact engine structure'which'is approximately the same length:

as apoppet valve engine of the same power.f

the. bearings to provide clearance between the bearing and sleeve valve means. It will be noted that the end portions of the'bearingare formed with an arcuate recess of sufficient depth to provide clearance between the body portion of the sleeve and the bearing structure. Figures 1 and 3 illustrate in a clear Way how this sleeve valve means may be inserted axially into the cylinder past ,thebearing 20.

The collar portion 21 of the sleeve valve means is considerably thicker or larger in diameter than.

the body portion of said sleevevalve means and .inorder to pass'the enlarged collar portion by the bearing the said collar portion is out out 15 as at 22. A sleeve driving 111923 is adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the enlarged collar portion secured to the inner end of the sleeve valve means and preferably the 39; other suitable connection 24 whichis actuated by means of awobble shaft 25. l It is noted that the construction herein illus-v trated permits the construction of. a compact sleeve'valve engine with minimumlyspaced cylinders and one advantage of a construction as herein described and illustrated is that it materiallyaids in. maintaining low production costs for engines of this character. This construction alsoiacilitates the assembly. of an. engine of 4p; this character with a minimum of time andlabor and such. a construction also materially aids in keeping maintenance costs andother operating costs at a minimum. 7 I 1 Although 'I have illustrated butyone 'form of my invention and have described in detail but a single application thereof,'it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my inven tion pertains that various modifications and' changes'maylbe made therein withoutdeparting 59 from the spirit of .my invention or from; the

scope. of the appended claims. 1 v.

What I claim as myinvention is:

1 In an enginehaving a' cylinderadapted for receiving a cooperatin'gengine element, said'en- 5 gine'provided with a bearing'structure ihaving a.

recessed portion providingfclearance between'the' element and "bearing structure on assembling eratively associated withan adjacent'pairof said said elementxwith-the engine cylinder. 5 92. In an engine havingacylinderadapted for receiving a, cooperating engine eelement; said engine provided with a bearingstructure-having a recessed-end portionproviding clearance between the element and bearing structure onassemblingsaidelement with the engine cylinder.

On initially asa crankshaft bearing'having an ar'cuate recessed 3. An engine str'ucturehaving a cylinder adaptinden-which consists of axially introducing said" 7 sleeve'into the cylinder by passing-same by a 're-V cessed rportioniof ithe' crankshaftbearing intermediate a pair of adjacent cylinders, said bearing having a length greater than 'the distance between said cylinders and provided with recessed end portions constructed to provide clearance permitting axial assembly of the engine elements with said cylinders.

-5. An engine ,structurehaving a cylinder adapted for receiving a cooperating engine element, a crankshaft, said structure provided with a crankshaft bearing located closely adjacent to the cylinder, said bearing having an arcuate recessed sleeve valve means cooperatively associated'with the cylinder, a crankshaft, said engineprovided with a crankshaft bearing having a recessed por-' tion to provide clearance permitting axial assembly of said sleeve valve means with saidcylinder. 7. A sleeve valvel enginehaving a cylinder, sleeve'val-ve means cooperatively associated with the cylinder, a crankshaft-said engine provided with a crankshaft bearinghaving a recessed endportion to .provide clearance permittingaxial as- 19 semblyof said sleeve valve means withsaid cylinder. d 1 I 8. A sleeve valve engine having a cylindensleeve valve means", cooperatively associated with 'the cylinder, a crankshaft, said. engine provided-with.

assembly of said sleeve valve means with the cylinders. d v.

10. Y A ,sleeve valve. engine having a'-'cylinder,

sleeve valve meanscooperatively associatedwith 1%? said cylinder and consisting of a body portion and an enlarged collar portionadjacent the inner-end of the sleeve valve means, a c'rankshaft, said en gine provided with a crankshaft bearing having a recessed'portion-adapted to provide-clearance ;2 with respect to the body portionof said sleeve valve means and said bearing, said enlarged collar portion having a cut-away portion whereby said sleeve Valve means can beaxially.assembledwith v the cylinder. I I 11. A sleeve valve engine'havinga v -1; luralityof cylinders, sleeve lvalve means respectively coopcylinders and-each including abody portion 'fand an, enlarged collar portion'adjacent the inner ,3, I '4 end, thereof; a crankshaft, said engine provide d withcrankshaft' bearings; one o'f said-bearings located intermediatesaid adjacent cylinders hav-' ing recessed end portionsj to provide clearance for assembly of said sleeve valve body" portions;

- 12. The method of assembling; sleevevalve means with acylinder or an-internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a crankshaft bearing normally constructed to overlap the cyl- 145 l3. The method of assembling sleeve valve means with a cylinderof-an internal combustion engine having a/crankshaft and a crankshaft valve engine having a plurality of 1 bearing normally constructed to overlap the cylinder, which consists of axially introducing said sleeve into the cylinder by passing same by a recessed portion of the crankshaft bearing and ing lug secured to said enlarged collar portion,-

said enlarged collar portion having a cut-away portion providing clearance with respect to the bearing thereby adapting the sleeve valve means for axial assembly with said cylinder and for partial rotation about its axis into an operative position when clear of said bearing.

15. An engine structure having a plurality of cylinders each adapted for receiving a cylindrical cooperating element, a crankshaft, said structure provided with a crankshaft bearing positioned inwardly of and intermediate a pair of adjacent cylinders, said bearing having arouate recessed end portions arranged substantially concentric with the cylinder to provide clearance drical elements with said cylinders. j

16. A sleeve valve engine having a'oylinder, a

sleeve valve associated therewith and consisting of a body portion and an enlarged collar portion adjacent the inner end of the sleeve valvefmeans operatively connected with the collar portion for imparting a combined reciprocating and oscillating movement tosaid sleeve valve for performing the usual valving functions of the engine; a

crankshaft, said engine provided with a' crankshaft bearing positioned inwardly 'of the engine cylinder and having a recessed portion adapted to provide clearance with respect to the body portion of said sleeve valve and said bearing, said enlarged collar portion having a cut-away portion whereby to permitoutward axial assembly of the sleeve valve with'the engine cylinder.

ANDRE 3.? MEYER,

ice

80 permitting outward axial assembly of the c'y1in-, r 

